Page 15 of Mortal Desires

I opened my mouth to refuse her logic. Penny’s place was with me. She was the exception. Why after all these years would she just walk down the stairs of the underworld like that?

No.

It wasn’t right. She was out there and we were leaving here together. Before I could say anything else, two women entered my room. I jumped away, eyeing them with distrust.

Gert nodded unbothered, looking like she expected the visitors. The girls were younger than Gert but dressed in the same stupid outfit.

“The girls will clean you and get you ready.”

“Ready for what?” I asked, but Gert was already heading for the door. The girls nodded at her and dropped their heads down looking only at the floor.

“Gert?” I begged.

She turned before reaching the door. “Don’t make this harder.”

This was already impossible. I was away from my sisters, alone, and imprisoned by someone who wouldn’t give me his name.

“My lady, the bath is ready.”

I blinked at the girl, she was smaller than the other with brown hair and rosy cheeks. She showed me to another door at the back of the bedroom, a room I hadn’t even checked.

Feeling stupid, I ran past her, entering the bathroom at once, my eyes darting from wall to wall trying to find an escape route.

“Will we help you to the bath, my lady?”

I yelped when they entered the spacious bathroom, I stepped back until my legs hit the bath.

“Are you dead too?” I asked.

I was usually nicer than this. It was never polite to ask someone if they were dead or alive. But my gentle manner flew out the window when I was kidnapped.

The girls looked at one another first and then nodded.

“How can you help me, then?” I swallowed a lump in my throat.

They looked at each other again, when the other one, blonde and perky, stepped forward. “My lady?”

I moved back just a little, not letting her touch me but I was trapped between the ghost and the bath. My legs shook and I almost lost my balance, the blonde one took the opportunity to reach for my wrist, closing her cold fingers around it.

I gasped, looking down at her skin on mine, my mouth opened and closed when all I wanted was to scream.

“My lady, please let us help you.”

How could a ghost touch me? Was I actually dead?

My eyes locked on our contact, and I dumbly nodded, accepting her help. In a flash, they moved around me, removing my shoes and clothes so quickly like they were scared I’d change my mind.

I let them remove my underwear and unhook my bra, the shock making me forget to feel self-conscious.

They led me to the bath. I dipped my toe in the water and practically moaned when I felt the perfect temperature. Quickly, I sat down and let my body relax after hours of screaming and a night of sleeping on the hard floor.

The blonde one washed my hair as the brunette threw essential oils in my bath.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Olivia,” the brunette girl replied. “That’s Bessie.” She nodded to her friend.

“I’m Pilar,” I whispered.

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